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Friday, 11 April 2014

Paws Outdoors - Walkies in the Woods

It's no secret that me and my family love visiting the forest. Another important member of our family is our four-legged friend, and she loves nothing more that a trip to the wood too.

Scurrying around in fallen; finding ridiculously long sticks (ok more like branches) to drag along; sniffing out animal scents; padding about on the soft springy moss; wading though wet mud; leaping over logs; chasing the odd squirrel...you get the picture, it's basically doggie heaven.

She likes nothing more than a new adventure, a break from her usual round-the-block routine. The chance to be off the lead and run free. It stimulates her senses, reduces her boredom and exercises her mind as well as her body.

Just like us, she loves to let off steam in the forest; see new sights; experience new places; run til her heart pounds then come home and put her feet up.

Forests are a favourite location for many dog walkers, with over 20 million visits
to Forestry Commission sites by dog walkers each year. The new Paws Outdoors campaign in association with the Kennel Club aims to build on this popularity and will
include a number of on-site activities throughout the year. Many Forestry Commission
woods and forests have dog agility trails, events and hundreds of way-marked
trails that offer physical challenges for dogs and owners.

Simon Hodgson, Forestry
Commission chief executive, says:

“Our new Paws Outdoors campaign will help to make
our sites even more appealing for dogs and their owners. The Ruff Guide to the Forest, which includes
information specific to over 35 Forestry Commission locations, is packed with
hints and tips for how to make the most of your local forest and surrounding
area, and even includes an introduction by the local rangers’ dogs who have
sniffed out every corner of our sites!"

The Forestry Commission are also looking for a new canine face for the campaign, so if you think your wonder hound has what it takes, why not enter them? Check out the Facebook page for more details.

Disclosure: I am an official Forestry Commission blogger and receive an annual Discovery Pass for my local site.

My dog loves our local woods, she comes home with half of it stuck to her tail. the only thing she's not so keen on is the bath afterwards, but she can't keep out of smelly puddles!! Love the pic of your dog :-)